Wafer processing device and wafer processing method

Abstract

To provide a wafer processing device capable of processing a wafer at a desired etching rate while maintaining a process liquid at a desired temperature by measuring a temperature of the process liquid and controlling a temperature of a heating section in accordance with the measured temperature, and a wafer processing method.SOLUTION: A wafer processing device 1 comprises: a rotor 10 which rotates a wafer W; a supply section 40 which supplies a process liquid L; a plate 50 which is movable in a direction proximate to / separate from the wafer W; a heating section 60 which heats the process liquid L; a thermometer 70 which is stored in an installation hole 51 of the plate 50 and measures a temperature of the process liquid L supplied to a processed face of the wafer W in a non-contact manner; an air supply port 52 which is opened at a lower side of the thermometer 70 on an inner sidewall of the installation hole 51 and supplies an inert gas G to a lower side of the thermometer 70; an exhaust port 55 which is opened at the lower side of the thermometer 70 and exhausts the inert gas G supplied from the air supply port 52; and a control section 90 which controls the heating section 60 in accordance with the temperature measured by the thermometer 70.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] As a wet etching apparatus for etching a film laminated on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer using a processing solution, there is a batch-type substrate processing apparatus in which multiple substrates are immersed in the processing solution at the same time. Such a batch-type substrate processing apparatus has high productivity because it can process multiple substrates at the same time.

[0003] However, in a batch-type substrate processing apparatus, multiple substrates are immersed in a processing solution with the same conditions, making it difficult to finely adjust the etching depth for each substrate according to differences in the film thickness formed on each substrate, etc. Therefore, a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus is used, which processes substrates one by one by supplying an etching processing solution near the center of rotation of the substrate while rotating it, and spreading the processing solution over the surface of the substrate.

[0004] Acid liquids such as hydrofluoric acid, phosphoric acid, and sulfuric acid are used as etching treatment liquids. For example, when etching a nitride film on a substrate having an oxide film and a nitride film stacked thereon, some substrate treatment apparatuses use an aqueous solution of phosphoric acid (phosphoric acid solution) as the treatment liquid. The higher the temperature of the phosphoric acid solution, the higher its etching performance, and as the temperature of the phosphoric acid solution drops, its etching performance decreases. Therefore, to obtain a desired etching rate, the phosphoric acid solution must be maintained at a high temperature. For example, the nitride film is etched by heating the phosphoric acid solution to 150°C to 160°C and supplying it to the substrate.

[0005] However, substrates such as silicon wafers have high thermal conductivity. Therefore, the phosphoric acid solution supplied to the surface of the substrate loses heat through the substrate, causing the temperature to drop. In other words, the phosphoric acid solution supplied near the center of rotation of the substrate is hot near the center, but as it moves toward the outer periphery of the substrate, its temperature drops due to heat dissipation.

[0006] If the temperature of the phosphoric acid solution differs depending on the position on the surface of the substrate, the etching rate will differ depending on the position on the surface of the substrate, making it difficult to process the entire substrate uniformly. To address this issue, there is a substrate processing apparatus that performs etching while maintaining the temperature of the phosphoric acid solution on the surface of the substrate (see Patent Document 1).

[0007] This substrate processing apparatus has a heater plate positioned above the substrate surface, large enough to cover the surface. The heater plate is brought close to the substrate surface, and a high-temperature phosphoric acid solution is supplied from a discharge port located near the center of the heater plate. The distance between the substrate and the heater plate is only a few millimeters, and the phosphoric acid solution flows over the substrate surface while being heated. This allows the etching performance of the phosphoric acid solution to be maintained. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5841431 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] In a substrate processing apparatus using a heater plate as described above, it is necessary to maintain the temperature of the processing liquid at a desired temperature during processing in order to obtain a desired etching rate. Conventionally, the temperature of the heater plate is measured and controlled in accordance with the measured temperature to maintain the temperature of the processing liquid. However, measuring the temperature of the heater plate does not actually measure the temperature of the processing liquid, so it is not possible to accurately determine whether the processing liquid is being maintained at the desired temperature.

[0010] One example of a thermometer for measuring the temperature of a processing liquid is a radiation thermometer, which uses infrared rays to measure the temperature without contact. However, because the substrate being processed is covered by a heater plate, it is difficult to measure the temperature of the processing liquid remotely. To address this issue, it is possible to install a thermometer on the surface of the heater plate facing the substrate. However, because such a thermometer is in close proximity to the processing liquid, it can be damaged by exposure to high-temperature vapor from the processing liquid. This can result in inaccurate temperature measurements or even an inability to measure the temperature, making it difficult to maintain the processing liquid at the desired temperature.

[0011] The embodiments of the present invention have been proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and their purpose is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can maintain the processing liquid at a desired temperature and process substrates at a desired etching rate by measuring the temperature of the processing liquid and controlling the temperature of the heating unit in accordance with the measured temperature. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a rotating body that rotates a substrate held by a holding unit, a supply unit that supplies heated processing liquid to the processing surface of the substrate, a plate that is positioned opposite the processing surface and is movable in a direction toward and away from the substrate, a drive unit that moves the plate toward and away from the substrate, a heating unit that is positioned on the plate and heats the processing liquid supplied to the processing surface of the substrate, a thermometer that is housed in an installation hole formed in the plate and opens toward the processing surface of the substrate and that non-contactly measures the temperature of the processing liquid supplied to the processing surface of the substrate, an air inlet that opens below the thermometer on the inner wall of the installation hole and supplies inert gas below the thermometer, an exhaust port that is positioned differently from the air inlet on the inner wall of the installation hole and opens below the thermometer and discharges the inert gas supplied from the air inlet, and a control unit that controls the heating unit according to the temperature measured by the thermometer.

[0013] In an embodiment of the substrate processing method of the present invention, a rotating body rotates a substrate held by a holding unit, is formed on a plate that is positioned opposite the surface to be processed of the substrate and is movable in a direction toward and away from the substrate, supplies an inert gas from an air inlet provided in an installation hole that opens toward the surface to be processed, and exhausts the inert gas from an exhaust port provided in the installation hole, brings the plate close to the substrate, a supply unit supplies a heated processing liquid to the surface to be processed of the substrate, heats the processing liquid using a heating unit provided in the plate, measures the temperature of the processing liquid non-contactly using a thermometer contained in the installation hole and provided above the air inlet and the exhaust port, and a control unit controls the heating unit according to the temperature measured by the thermometer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention can provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can maintain the processing liquid at a desired temperature and process substrates at a desired etching rate by measuring the temperature of the processing liquid and controlling the temperature of the heating unit in accordance with the measured temperature. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 2 is an axial cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a plate in which a thermometer is housed in an installation hole in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a comparative example of a plate housing a thermometer. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of a plate in which a thermometer is housed in an installation hole. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the supply and exhaust control of the inert gas. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [overview] 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment processes one surface (hereinafter referred to as the surface to be processed) of the substrate W by supplying a processing liquid L heated in a supply unit 40 to the surface to be processed while rotating the substrate W together with a rotor 10. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, a drive unit 80 brings a plate 50 having a heating unit 60 (heater 61) close to the surface to be processed of the substrate W, thereby narrowing the space between the plate 50 and the substrate W, thereby making it difficult for heat to escape and heating the surface, thereby suppressing a decrease in temperature of the processing liquid L. The plate 50 does not come into contact with the substrate W and can be advanced and retreated relative to the substrate W.

[0017] The substrate W processed in this embodiment is, for example, a silicon wafer on which a nitride film is formed, and the processing liquid L is a phosphoric acid solution for etching the nitride film.

[0018] [composition] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a rotating body 10, a rotation mechanism 20, a holding unit 30, a supply unit 40, a plate 50, a heating unit 60, a thermometer 70, a driving unit 80, and a control unit 90.

[0019] (rotating body) The rotating body 10 rotates the substrate W held by the holder 30. The rotating body 10 has a table 11 that faces the substrate W held by the holder 30 with a gap therebetween. The rotating body 10 has a cylindrical shape with one end closed by the table 11. The table 11 has a circular surface with a diameter larger than that of the substrate W.

[0020] The rotating body 10 is formed of a material that is resistant to the treatment liquid L. For example, the rotating body 10 is preferably made of a fluorine-based resin such as PTFE or PCTFE. Although not shown, the rotating body 10 is mounted on a fixed base that is fixed to an installation surface or a stand installed on the installation surface, so as to be rotatable by a rotation mechanism 20, which will be described later.

[0021] A separator 12 and a cup 13 are provided around the rotor 10. The separator 12 and the cup 13 are cylindrical bodies bent so that the diameter narrows at the top, and are concentrically arranged with the separator 12 on the inside and the cup 13 on the outside. Drainage ports 12a and 13a for draining the processing liquid L are provided on the bottom surfaces of the separator 12 and the cup 13, respectively. The separator 12 and the cup 13 receive various processing liquids L scattered from the surroundings of the substrate W as it rotates. The processing liquid L received by the separator 12 is discharged via the drainage port 12a into a recovery path (not shown), and the processing liquid L received by the cup 13 is discharged via the drainage port 13a into a drainage path (not shown).

[0022] (Rotation mechanism) The rotation mechanism 20 is a mechanism that rotates the rotating body 10. The rotation mechanism 20 has a drive source 21. teethThe motor is a hollow motor fixed to a fixed base and has a hollow rotor and a stator that rotates the rotor. A driving source 21 rotates the rotor and the rotating body 10 by passing current through the coil of the stator.

[0023] (holding part) The holder 30 holds the substrate W parallel to and spaced from the table 11. The holder 30 has a holding pin 31. The holding pin 31 is rotated eccentrically around an axis parallel to the axis of the rotor 10 by a drive mechanism (not shown), thereby moving between a holding position where it contacts the edge of the substrate W to hold the substrate W, and a release position where it moves away from the edge of the substrate W to release the substrate W.

[0024] (Supply Department) 1, the supply unit 40 supplies a processing liquid L to the processing surface of the substrate W, i.e., to the surface of the substrate W held by the holder 30 opposite to the table 11. The supply unit 40 has processing liquid supply mechanisms 411 and 412 that supply two types of processing liquid L.

[0025] The processing liquid supply mechanism 411 supplies an aqueous solution containing phosphoric acid (H3PO4) (hereinafter referred to as phosphoric acid solution) as the processing liquid L. The processing liquid supply mechanism 412 supplies pure water (H2O) as the processing liquid L. Each of the processing liquid supply mechanisms 411 and 412 has a processing liquid tank 41a that stores the processing liquid L.

[0026] Each processing liquid tank 41a is connected to a processing liquid supply pipe 41b, the tip of which faces the substrate W held by the holder 30. As a result, the processing liquid L from each processing liquid tank 41a is supplied to the surface of the substrate W via the processing liquid supply pipe 41b.

[0027] Each processing liquid supply pipe 41b is provided with a valve 41c and a flow meter 41d. The valve 41c has a flow rate adjustment function and an ON / OFF function. Each valve 41c adjusts the amount of processing liquid L flowing from the corresponding processing liquid tank 41a into the processing liquid supply pipe 41b. The amount of processing liquid L flowing through each processing liquid supply pipe 41b is detected by the corresponding flow meter 41d. Note that the equipment and method for generating the processing liquid L stored in each processing liquid tank 41a are not limited to specific ones.

[0028] (plate) The plate 50 is disposed at a position facing the surface to be processed of the substrate W and is a member movable toward and away from the substrate W. The plate 50 is circular and has a diameter larger than that of the substrate W. A flange 50b that expands outward is formed on the upper periphery of the plate 50. The plate 50 is made of quartz. The plate 50 may have a double structure to achieve both heat resistance and liquid resistance. In other words, the base is formed of a heat-resistant material, and the periphery is covered with a material that is resistant to the processing liquid L. For example, the plate 50 may be formed by using quartz as the base and forming a cover of a fluorine-based resin such as PTFE or PCTFE around the periphery.

[0029] The plate 50 has two discharge ports 50a, through which the tips of the two processing liquid supply pipes 41b are inserted, and which are exposed on the side of the substrate W. The two discharge ports 50a are offset from the axis of rotation of the rotating body 10. This is because, as the substrate W rotates, the portions of the substrate W facing the discharge ports 50a change successively, which contributes to uniforming the temperature of the processing liquid L. Furthermore, the plate 50 is provided with installation holes 51, an air inlet 52, and an exhaust port 55, as will be described later.

[0030] (heating part) The heating unit 60 is provided on the plate 50 and heats the processing liquid L supplied to the processing surface of the substrate W. In this embodiment, the heating unit 60 is a heater 61 that generates heat when energized. Multiple heaters 61 are provided at different horizontal positions on the plate 50. For example, the heater 61 is composed of, for example, three heater strips, each of which can individually control the amount of heat generated. That is, two annular heater strips are concentrically arranged around a circular heater strip. With this heater 61, the temperature of the processing liquid L can be changed for each concentric portion by individually controlling the amount of heat generated by the three concentric heater strips. Note that the diameter of the heating unit 60 is preferably equal to or larger than the diameter of the substrate W in order to suppress a temperature drop on the outer periphery of the substrate W.

[0031] (thermometer) The thermometer 70 measures the temperature of the processing liquid L supplied to the processing surface of the substrate W in a non-contact manner. The thermometer 70 is accommodated in an installation hole 51 formed in the plate 50. The installation hole 51 is a cylindrical through-hole. The installation hole 51 penetrates the plate 50 in the thickness direction (vertical direction). The thermometer 70 is inserted into the upper end of the installation hole 51. The end of the installation hole 51 on the processing surface side is an opening 51a. As the thermometer 70, for example, a radiation thermometer that measures temperature based on the amount of infrared radiation emitted by the measurement target is used. The detection surface of the thermometer 70 faces the processing surface so that it can sense infrared rays through the opening 51a of the installation hole 51.

[0032] A plurality of thermometers 70 are provided at different radial positions on the plate 50. That is, a plurality of installation holes 51 are provided at different radial positions on the plate 50, and a thermometer 70 is installed in each installation hole 51. For example, three installation holes 51 are provided corresponding to the three heater pieces, and a thermometer 70 is inserted into the upper end of each installation hole 51. A space 51b for storing inert gas G is formed below the thermometer 70 in the installation hole 51.

[0033] An air intake port 52 and an exhaust port 55 are provided on the inner wall of each installation hole 51. The air intake port 52 opens below the thermometer 70 and supplies inert gas G to a space 51b below the thermometer 70. The plate 50 is provided with an air intake path 53 that supplies inert gas G to the air intake port 52. An air intake section 54 is connected to the air intake path 53. The air intake section 54 includes an air intake device 54a and a mass flow controller (hereinafter referred to as MFC) 54b, and is connected to the air intake path 53 via piping (not shown).

[0034] The gas supply device 54a is a supply source of the inert gas G. It is preferable to use He as the inert gas G. Since the specific gravity of He is lighter than that of water vapor (H2), He is located above the water vapor (hereinafter referred to as steam V) that enters through the opening 51a and rises toward the thermometer 70. Therefore, He is interposed between the steam V rising from the processing liquid L and the thermometer 70, thereby protecting the thermometer 70. However, N2 may also be used as the inert gas G.

[0035] The MFC 54b is provided in a pipe connected between the gas supply device 54a and the gas supply passage 53, and is an adjusting unit that adjusts the supply flow rate per unit time of the inert gas G. The MFC 54b has a mass flow meter that measures the flow rate of the fluid and a solenoid valve that controls the flow rate.

[0036] The exhaust port 55 opens below the thermometer 70 and is located at a different position from the air inlet 52. The exhaust port 55 exhausts the inert gas G supplied from the air inlet 52. The different position includes one or both of a position where they do not overlap in a plan view and a position where they are located at different heights. In this embodiment, the exhaust port 55 is located at a position facing the air inlet 52 across the thermometer 70 in a plan view. As a result, the inert gas G supplied from the air inlet 52 passes over the detection surface of the thermometer 70 and is exhausted from the exhaust port 55. The exhaust port 55 is located closer to the opening 51a than the air inlet 52 (below the air inlet 52). The air inlet 52 is preferably located close to the bottom of the thermometer 70 with a gap therebetween. As a result, the inert gas G supplied from the air inlet 52 flows downward toward the exhaust port 55, which is closer to the opening 51a, making it more difficult for steam V to enter through the opening 51a.

[0037] 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the air inlet 52 provided below the thermometer 70 is spaced apart from the thermometer 70 in the vertical direction. As a result, when an inert gas G with a low specific gravity is supplied from the air inlet 52, a space (retention space) in which the inert gas G remains is formed below the thermometer 70 in the installation hole 51. In this way, the inert gas G remains below the thermometer 70, thereby protecting the thermometer 70 from steam V. To clearly show the retention space in the installation hole 51 in FIG. 2, the vertical distance of the retention space is indicated by RS.

[0038] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the air inlet 52 and the exhaust port 55 are located closer to the thermometer 70 in the installation hole 51. That is, the distance between the air inlet 52 and the exhaust port 55 and the opening 51a in the vertical direction is greater than the distance between the air inlet 52 and the thermometer 70. In this way, the exhaust port 55 is located lower than the air inlet 52, and the exhaust port 55 is located closer to the thermometer 70 in the installation hole 51. As a result, the space from the bottom of the exhaust port 55 to the opening 51a is larger than the space from the bottom of the exhaust port 55 to the thermometer 70. Then, due to the supply of inert gas G from the air inlet 52 and the exhaust of inert gas G from the exhaust port 55, the flow of gas in the space below the exhaust port 55 is slight. This prevents steam V from entering through the opening 51a, and protects the thermometer 70 from steam. In order to clarify the vertical space bounded by the exhaust port 55 in the installation hole 51 in Figure 2, the vertical distance between the bottom of the exhaust port 55 and the opening 51a is indicated by LS, and the vertical distance between the bottom of the exhaust port 55 and the thermometer 70 is indicated by US.

[0039] The plate 50 is provided with an exhaust path 56 that exhausts the inert gas G from an exhaust port 55. An exhaust unit 57 is connected to the exhaust path 56. The exhaust unit 57 includes an exhaust device 57a and a mass flow controller (hereinafter referred to as MFC) 57b, and is connected to the exhaust path 56 via piping (not shown).

[0040] The exhaust device 57a is a device that sucks in the inert gas G. The MFC 57b is provided in a pipe connected between the exhaust device 57a and the exhaust path 56, and is an adjustment unit that adjusts the exhaust flow rate per unit time by the exhaust device 57a. The MFC 57b has a mass flow meter that measures the flow rate of the fluid and a solenoid valve that controls the flow rate.

[0041] The drive unit 80 is a mechanism that moves the plate 50 forward and backward relative to the substrate W. The drive unit 80 has a support unit 81, an arm 82, and a lifting mechanism 83. The support unit 81 is a ring-shaped member into which the plate 50 is inserted and which supports the plate 50 horizontally by abutting the flange 50b on the top. The arm 82 is a member that extends horizontally and has one end fixed to the support unit 81.

[0042] The lifting mechanism 83 is a mechanism that is erected on a stand and raises and lowers the plate 50 via an arm 82. The lifting mechanism 83 has a movable part that moves in a direction parallel to the axis of the rotating body 10, and the other end of the support part 81 is attached to the movable part. The lifting mechanism 83 can be implemented by various mechanisms that move the movable part, such as a cylinder or a ball screw mechanism, but details will be omitted. The lifting mechanism 83 lowers the plate 50 to a position where a gap d is formed between the plate 50 and the surface of the substrate W. This gap d is, for example, 4 mm or less, but is maintained so that a gap of about 2 mm is formed between the plate 50 and the processing liquid L.

[0043] The processing liquid L is heated to a preset temperature by a heating device (not shown) in the supply unit 40, and is then supplied to the substrate W and heated by the heating unit 60. This allows the processing liquid L supplied to the substrate W to be spread over the entire surface of the substrate W while maintaining the preset temperature. In particular, by setting the heater 61 on the outer periphery to a high temperature, an effect of raising the temperature on the outer periphery of the substrate W, which is prone to temperature drops, can be obtained.

[0044] (Control unit) The control unit 90 controls each unit of the substrate processing apparatus 1. The control unit 90 has a processor that executes programs to realize various functions of the substrate processing apparatus 1, a memory that stores various information such as the programs and operating conditions, and a drive circuit that drives each element. In other words, the control unit 90 has a mechanism control unit 91 that controls the rotation mechanism 20, the holding unit 30, the supply unit 40, the MFCs 54b and 57b, the heating unit 60, the drive unit 80, etc.

[0045] The control unit 90 of this embodiment also includes a heating control unit 92 and a flow rate control unit 93. The heating control unit 92 controls the temperature of the heating unit 60 in accordance with the temperature measured by the thermometer 70. In other words, the heating control unit 92 performs feedback control to control the output of the heater 61 in accordance with the temperature of the processing liquid L. For example, when the temperature measured by the thermometer 70 is lower than a predetermined temperature, the heating control unit 92 increases the temperature of the heater 61 corresponding to that thermometer 70. For example, each thermometer 70 corresponds to the heater 61 adjacent to the center of the plate 50.

[0046] The flow rate control unit 93 controls the supply flow rate and exhaust flow rate of the inert gas G to the installation hole 51 using the MFCs 54b and 57b so that the inert gas G fills the installation hole 51 without leaking out of the opening 51a. If the supply flow rate of the inert gas G is too high, it will leak from the installation hole 51, causing the temperature of the processing liquid L to drop. If the exhaust flow rate of the inert gas G is too high, it will absorb steam V, which will affect the thermometer 70 and will also absorb the atmosphere surrounding the processing liquid L on the processing surface of the substrate W, causing the temperature of the processing liquid L to drop. For this reason, it is basically preferable to control the supply flow rate and exhaust flow rate of the inert gas G to be equal.

[0047] [Operation] The operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 3 in addition to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Note that a substrate processing method and a processed substrate manufacturing method for processing a substrate W according to the following procedure are also aspects of this embodiment.

[0048] First, as shown in Fig. 1, the plate 50 is in an upper standby position. At this time, a gap is provided between the plate 50 and the table 11 so that a substrate W supported by a hand of a transport robot (not shown) can be carried in.

[0049] Furthermore, by previously energizing the heater 61 of the heating unit 60, the surface of the plate 50 facing the substrate W is heated and maintained at a predetermined temperature (for example, a temperature within a temperature range of 180°C to 225°C). Note that, for example, since the temperature of the outer peripheral region of the substrate W drops the most due to heat dissipation, the heater 61 in the outer peripheral region may be heated to a higher temperature than other regions.

[0050] In this state, the substrate W mounted on the hand of the transfer robot is carried in between the plate 50 and the rotating body 10, and its periphery is supported by a plurality of holding pins 31, thereby being held on the table 11 of the rotating body 10 (step S01). At this time, the substrate W is positioned so that its center coincides with the axis of rotation of the rotating body 10.

[0051] The gas supply unit 54 starts supplying the inert gas G from the gas supply port 52 to the installation hole 51, thereby filling the space 51b with the inert gas G (step S02). Next, the exhaust unit 57 starts exhausting the inert gas G from the exhaust port 55 (step S03). The MFCs 54b and 57b adjust the supply flow rate and exhaust flow rate of the inert gas G so that the inert gas G is always present in the space 51b and so that the inert gas G does not leak from the opening 51a.

[0052] The rotor 10 rotates at a relatively slow predetermined speed (for example, about 50 rpm). As a result, the substrate W rotates together with the holder 30 at the predetermined speed (step S04). Then, the plate 50 descends to a position where a predetermined distance d (for example, 4 mm or less) is formed between the plate 50 and the processing surface of the substrate W (step S05). 。

[0053] The processing liquid supply mechanism 411 supplies the phosphoric acid solution to the surface to be processed of the substrate W, and the thermometer 70 starts measuring the temperature of the phosphoric acid solution (step S06). While the phosphoric acid solution is being supplied, the temperature is constantly measured. As described above, the phosphoric acid solution is preheated in the supply unit 40. As the phosphoric acid solution moves gradually toward the outer periphery of the rotating substrate W, the pure water on the surface of the substrate W is replaced with the phosphoric acid solution, and the nitride film is removed by etching.

[0054] Heat from the phosphoric acid solution supplied near the center of the substrate W tends to escape as it moves toward the periphery of the substrate W, but in this embodiment, the plate 50 is positioned close to the substrate W by the distance d, so the phosphoric acid solution is heated by the heater 61, and a decrease in the treatment rate due to a drop in temperature is suppressed. For example, the temperature of the phosphoric acid solution is preferably maintained at about 150 to 160°C.

[0055] The temperature of the phosphoric acid solution during treatment is measured by the thermometer 70 as described above. The heating control unit 92 controls the temperature of the heater 61 according to the measured temperature. That is, the temperature of the heater 61 corresponding to the area where the temperature is decreasing is increased. Since the space 51b of the installation hole 51 is filled with the inert gas G, the detection surface of the thermometer 70 is covered with the inert gas G, which prevents vapor V from the heated phosphoric acid solution from adhering to the detection surface. This allows the liquid temperature to be measured normally while maintaining the performance of the thermometer 70. Furthermore, since the inert gas G does not leak out of the opening 51a, a decrease in the temperature of the phosphoric acid solution due to the inert gas G is prevented.

[0056] When a predetermined processing time has elapsed (step S07), the processing liquid supply mechanism 411 stops supplying the phosphoric acid solution, and the temperature measurement by the thermometer 70 also stops (step S08).

[0057] Next, the processing liquid supply mechanism 412 supplies pure water to the surface of the substrate W (step S09). When the pure water is supplied to the surface of the rotating substrate W, the pure water moves sequentially toward the outer periphery of the substrate W, thereby washing away the phosphoric acid solution on the surface of the substrate W. Then, after a predetermined cleaning time has elapsed (step S10), the processing liquid supply mechanism 412 stops supplying pure water (step S11).

[0058] The rotation of the substrate W stops (step S12), and the plate 50 moves up (step S13). Thereafter, the supply of the inert gas G by the gas supply unit 54 and the exhaust by the exhaust unit 57 are stopped. Ru( Step S14) 。 Then, the hand of the transport robot is inserted under the substrate W, the substrate W is released from the holder 30, and the substrate W is carried out by the hand of the transport robot (step S15).

[0059] [effect] (1) The substrate processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment as described above includes a rotating body 10 that rotates the substrate W held by the holder 30, a supply unit 40 that supplies heated processing liquid L to the processing surface of the substrate W, a plate 50 that is provided at a position facing the processing surface and that is movable in a direction toward and away from the substrate W, a drive unit 80 that moves the plate 50 toward and away from the substrate W, a heating unit 60 that is provided on the plate 50 and that heats the processing liquid L supplied to the processing surface of the substrate W, and an installation unit formed on the plate 50 and that is open on the processing surface side. The device includes a thermometer 70 housed in the hole 51 for non-contact measurement of the temperature of the processing liquid L supplied to the processing surface of the substrate W, an air inlet 52 that opens below the thermometer 70 on the inner wall of the installation hole 51 and supplies an inert gas G below the thermometer 70, an exhaust port 55 that opens at a position different from the air inlet 52 on the inner wall of the installation hole 51 and below the thermometer 70 and exhausts the inert gas G supplied from the air inlet 52, and a control unit 90 that controls the heating unit 60 according to the temperature measured by the thermometer 70.

[0060] In the substrate processing method of this embodiment, the rotating body 10 rotates the substrate W held by the holding unit 30, supplies inert gas G from an air inlet 52 provided in an installation hole 51 formed on a plate 50 that is disposed at a position opposite the surface to be processed of the substrate W and is movable in a direction toward and away from the substrate W, and exhausts the inert gas G from an exhaust port 55 provided in the installation hole 51, brings the plate 50 close to the substrate W, supplies heated processing liquid L to the surface to be processed of the substrate W using the air inlet 54, heats the processing liquid L using a heating unit 60 provided on the plate 50, measures the temperature of the processing liquid L non-contact using a thermometer 70 housed in the installation hole 51 and disposed above the air inlet 52 and exhaust port 55, and a control unit 90 controls the heating unit 60 according to the temperature measured by the thermometer 70.

[0061] Therefore, by measuring the temperature of the processing liquid L using the thermometer 70 provided in the installation hole 51 of the plate 50 and controlling the temperature of the heating unit 60 in accordance with the measured temperature, the processing liquid L can be maintained at a desired temperature and the substrate W can be processed at a desired etching rate. In particular, the inert gas G in the installation hole 51 protects the thermometer 70 from the vapor V, thereby maintaining the performance of the thermometer 70 that measures the temperature of the processing liquid L, and since the inert gas G in the installation hole 51 is exhausted, the outflow of the inert gas G from the installation hole 51 is prevented and a decrease in the temperature of the processing liquid L can be suppressed.

[0062] Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 4(A), if a thermometer 70 is simply placed in an installation hole 51 formed in a plate 50, vapor V from the processing liquid L will enter through the opening 51a of the installation hole 51. This will expose the thermometer 70 to a high-temperature steam atmosphere, resulting in deformation, damage, and a decrease in measurement accuracy. Furthermore, even if an inert gas G is supplied to the installation hole 51 with a gap around the thermometer 70 to protect the thermometer 70, as shown in FIG. 4(B), the inert gas G leaking from the opening 51a will lower the temperature of the processing liquid L, thereby reducing processing performance.

[0063] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the temperature of the processing liquid L can be measured by preventing the vapor V of the high-temperature processing liquid L from entering the installation hole 51 and the inert gas G from leaking from the installation hole 51. In other words, by supplying the inert gas G, the thermometer 70 is protected from the vapor V of the processing liquid L, thereby preventing deformation or damage of the thermometer 70 and a decrease in measurement performance, thereby maintaining performance. Furthermore, by exhausting the inert gas G, a decrease in the temperature of the processing liquid L due to leakage of the inert gas G is prevented, thereby suppressing a decrease in the processing rate of the substrate W and achieving high process performance and reproducibility.

[0064] In particular, by positioning the air inlet 52 and the air outlet 55 at different locations, a flow that covers the detection surface of the thermometer 70 is more easily formed. For example, by positioning the air inlet 52 and the air outlet 55 so that they do not overlap in a plan view, inert gas G supplied from the air inlet 52 passes under the detection surface in a plan view, and a flow is generated toward the air outlet 55, thereby covering the detection surface with inert gas G. Since the installation hole 51 that houses the thermometer 70 has a relatively small diameter (e.g., about 10 mm), by positioning the air inlet and the air outlet at different locations in this way, the inert gas G can be distributed over the entire detection surface of the thermometer 70. Furthermore, by supplying the inert gas G to the installation hole 51, allowing the inert gas G to stagnate in the installation hole 51, and then exhausting it, a protective layer of the inert gas G can be formed.

[0065] (2) A plurality of heating units 60 are provided at different radial positions on the plate 50, and a plurality of thermometers 70 are provided at different radial positions on the plate 50. Therefore, the control unit 90 can adjust the temperature of the heating units 60 in accordance with differences in the temperature distribution of the processing liquid L on the processing surface, thereby preventing a decrease in the processing rate and enabling good processing. The control unit 90 can also change the processing rate in accordance with the position on the processing surface.

[0066] (3) Exhaust port 55 is located below air intake port 52. Therefore, a downward air current is generated in which inert gas G from air intake port 52 flows downward, making it difficult for steam V to rise, and thus preventing the intrusion of steam V.

[0067] (4) The inert gas G has a specific gravity lighter than that of the steam V (water vapor). Therefore, the inert gas G comes above the steam V, and is interposed between the steam V rising from the processing liquid L on the processing surface of the substrate W and the thermometer 70, thereby protecting the thermometer 70.

[0068] (5) Air intake port 52 is provided at a vertical distance RS from thermometer 70. Therefore, a space in which inert gas G accumulates is formed below thermometer 70 in installation hole 51. Therefore, thermometer 70 is protected by the layer of inert gas G accumulated below thermometer 70.

[0069] (Variation) (1) As shown in Fig. 5, the air intake passage 53 may be cylindrical and surround the thermometer 70 with a gap. The air intake port 52 may be formed as a long horizontal slit to facilitate the distribution of the inert gas G to the detection surface of the thermometer 70. The flow rate of the inert gas G may be increased by making the diameter of the air intake port 52 smaller than that of the air intake passage 53 shown in Fig. 2, or by making the gap between the air intake passage 53 and the thermometer 70 shown in Fig. 5 narrower at the air intake port 52 portion than at the air intake passage 53 portion.

[0070] (2) The air supply unit 54 may include a valve for adjusting the flow rate of the inert gas G to a predetermined amount, a measuring unit for measuring the supply flow rate of the inert gas G, and an adjusting unit for adjusting the flow rate of the inert gas G. The control unit 90 may control the adjusting unit to adjust the exhaust flow rate in accordance with the measurement results of the measuring unit. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a flow meter 54c (measuring unit) and a needle valve 54d (valve) may be provided instead of the MFC 54b of the air supply device 54a. In this case, the needle valve 54d sets the flow rate of the inert gas G to a predetermined amount, and the value measured by the flow meter 54c is input to the control unit 90. The flow rate control unit 93 adjusts the exhaust flow rate using the MFC 57b of the exhaust device 57a so that the flow rate is the same as the input measured value. This simplifies the control configuration and reduces the cost of the device.

[0071] (3) The heating section 60 may have a structure in which each heater 61 includes a heat equalizer plate. Alternatively, the heating section 60 may directly heat the substrate W or the processing liquid L using light from a halogen lamp, an LED, or the like. In the above embodiment, a thermometer 70 is provided for each of the multiple heating sections 60, thereby approximating the area where the temperature is measured and the area to be heated. However, the number of heating sections 60 and the number of thermometers 70 do not necessarily have to correspond to each other.

[0072] (4) The processing of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is not limited to the above-mentioned examples of the processing content and the processing liquid L, as long as the temperatures of the processing liquid L and the substrate W affect the processing rate. The substrates W and films to be processed are also not limited to the above-mentioned examples.

[0073] [Other embodiments] Although the embodiments of the present invention and modifications of each part have been described above, these embodiments and modifications of each part are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments described above can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1. Substrate processing equipment 10 Rotating Body 11 tables 12 Separator 12a, 13a drainage port 13 cups 20 Rotation mechanism 2 1 Drive source 30 Holding part 31 Retaining pin 40 Supply section 41a Processing liquid tank 41b Processing liquid supply pipe 41c valve 41d, 54c flow meter 50 plates 50a outlet 50b flange 51 Installation hole 51a aperture 51b Space 52 Air supply port 53 Air supply path 54 Air supply section 54a Air supply device 54b, 57b MFC 54d Needle valve 55 exhaust port 56 Exhaust duct 57 Exhaust section 57a Exhaust system 60 Heating section 61 Heater 70 Thermometer 80 Drive unit 81 Support part 82 Arm 83 Lifting mechanism 90 Control Unit 91 Mechanism control unit 92 Heating control section 93 Flow control section 411, 412 Processing liquid supply mechanism

Claims

1. a rotating body that rotates the substrate held by the holding part; a supply unit that supplies a heated processing liquid to a processing surface of the substrate; a plate provided at a position facing the surface to be processed and movable in a direction toward and away from the substrate; a drive unit for moving the plate toward and away from the substrate; a heating unit provided on the plate and configured to heat the processing liquid supplied to the processing surface of the substrate; a thermometer that is accommodated in an installation hole formed in the plate and opened toward the processing surface side, and that measures in a non-contact manner the temperature of the processing liquid supplied to the processing surface of the substrate; an air supply port that opens below the thermometer in an inner wall of the installation hole and supplies an inert gas below the thermometer; an exhaust port that opens at a position different from the air supply port in the inner wall of the installation hole and below the thermometer and exhausts the inert gas supplied from the air supply port; A control unit that controls the heating unit in response to the temperature measured by the thermometer; A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

2. The heating portion is provided at a plurality of different positions in a radial direction of the plate, 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thermometer is provided at a plurality of different positions in a radial direction of the plate.

3. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust port is provided below the air supply port.

4. 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the air supply port is provided at a distance from the thermometer in the vertical direction.

5. 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the inert gas is a gas lighter than water vapor.

6. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical air supply passage connected to the air supply port and covering the periphery of the thermometer with a gap therebetween.

7. an air supply unit for supplying the inert gas to the air supply port; an exhaust unit that exhausts the inert gas from the exhaust port; a valve provided in the gas supply unit to set a flow rate of the inert gas to a predetermined amount; A measurement unit for measuring a supply flow rate of the inert gas; an adjustment unit provided in the exhaust unit and configured to adjust an exhaust flow rate of the inert gas; having 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the adjustment unit to adjust the exhaust flow rate in accordance with a result of measurement by the measurement unit.

8. The rotating body rotates the substrate held by the holding part, a plate provided at a position facing the processed surface of the substrate and movable in a direction toward and away from the substrate, and an inert gas is supplied from an air supply port provided in an installation hole that opens toward the processed surface; The inert gas is discharged from an exhaust port provided in the installation hole. The plate is brought close to the substrate, and a supply unit supplies a heated processing liquid to the processing surface of the substrate; heating the treatment liquid by a heating unit provided on the plate; measuring a temperature of the treatment liquid in a non-contact manner using a thermometer that is housed in the installation hole and disposed above the air inlet and the air outlet; The control unit controls the heating unit according to the temperature measured by the thermometer. A substrate processing method comprising:

9. a flow rate of the inert gas is set to a predetermined amount by a valve provided in an air supply unit that supplies the inert gas to the air supply port; A measurement unit measures the supply flow rate of the inert gas from the gas supply unit; The control unit controls the exhaust flow rate of the inert gas by an adjustment unit provided in an exhaust path that exhausts the inert gas from the exhaust port according to the measurement result by the measurement unit.

9. The substrate processing method according to claim 8.

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